


Love the One You're With

by PenUltimate



Series: It's Not Easy (To Be Me) [2]
Category: X-Men (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-02-01
Packaged: 2018-05-16 17:08:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5833696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PenUltimate/pseuds/PenUltimate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A necessary conversation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love the One You're With

Raven corners him in the kitchen one day, before any of the others have even left their beds. Hank is pondering whether or not to bring Alex toast when his ears pick up the subtle sound of her footsteps – the only person in the mansion who can tread so lightly.

“So, do you have a thing for blondes or something?” she asks nonchalantly, sauntering into the kitchen in her blue form. Hank knows that of course she’s talking about Alex, and is now extremely uncomfortable. He never thought he’d be in this kind of situation; never thought he’d date anyone, let alone be dating someone _and_ have somewhat of an ex.

“Um, not that I know of…” Hank mumbles uncertainly, never having stopped to consider such things.

“Or is it just that he’s not blue?” Raven needles, opening the fridge and pulling out a carton of milk. Listening to Raven talk, Hank wonders if he does indeed have a type and if that type includes deep, rough voices. However, he can’t make any conclusive findings from such a small sample size.

“Definitely not that,” Hank tries to assure her, knowing that he’d hurt her with the way he’d treated her natural appearance.

Hank thinks he likes Alex more than he’d ever liked Raven– no, that’s a lie. He doesn’t. He just likes them in different ways. Raven is mysterious and tempestuous and distant and untouchable; Alex is annoying and honest and close and _real_.

Raven is the type of person he’d like to admire from afar. Alex is the type of person he wants to hold close. 

“You sure?” Raven prods, dragging out the _suuure_ to emphasise her doubtfulness. She’s adding milk to her Cornflakes now and sliding a spoon into the bowl to accompany them.

It’s raining outside and the lighting in the kitchen is grey, bleak and bright.

“Yeah. I just– I was wrong,” he admits, and it hurts, but he hurt her, so he figures he deserves it. “And I’m sorry. You’re– you’re beautiful like this. There’s nothing wrong with us – any of us. I was stupid. I hated myself and I turned that on you. I’m so sorry,” he blurts, stumbling and fumbling with his words. It seems easier to say this stuff when they’re alone and he’s out of sorts because it’s early. Hank isn’t sure why he’s saying these things, just that she deserves to hear them.

Raven blinks, startled, and slowly lowers her bowl to the table. It seems as if the early hour has taken her usual defensiveness and left a lack of hostility in its place.

“Wow.”

Hank bites at his lip, tensing under the heavy silence. But he doesn’t regret those words – he regrets the ones he said to her before.

The toast is done and the springing sound of it pops the silence like a balloon that’s been stretched too thin, that has too much empty air in it.

Hank gets out butter and a knife before Raven speaks again.

“You really mean that?”

She looks vulnerable and self-conscious, which he hasn’t seen in a while and he’s angry at himself for putting that look on her face.

“I guess it’s like Dr Seuss said. Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind,” he decides. “If people don’t want to accept you, then they’re assholes. I was an asshole. But I’m trying to be better. And I do think that you’re beautiful.”

Raven smiles at him, the expression fragile in the place of the fierce resentment and angry confidence that seems to have taken over her lately. He doesn’t want her to stop smiling.

“Pretty sure Sean thinks you’re hot too,” he adds, hoping that her capricious nature won’t result in a veil of anger dropping over the hesitant happiness on her face.

It doesn’t.

Raven huffs out a little laugh and returns to her cereal.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she teases in a wry tone of voice. “Now, shoo and take your boyfriend his breakfast,” she adds, waving her hand dismissively.

Hank grins and does as he’s told.

**Author's Note:**

> The next part will have a LOT more Alex in it. Promise. ^_^


End file.
